Footwear



H. MALM FOOTWEAR Jan. 7, 1936.

Original Filed June 28, 19:53

ma 1, was

FOOTWEAR Henry llfalm, New York, N. Y.

' Original No. 1,988,128, dated January 15, 1935, Serial No. 677,963,June 28,1933. Application for reissue March 16, 1935, Serial No. 11,512

6 Claims. (01. 36-14) My invention relates to improvements in waterproofovershoes for ladies footwear and especially in that kind of overshoeswhich are destined to protect only the front part of ladies shoes, asthe 5 heel part on account of thehigh heel shank usually worn, iselevated sumciently above the pavement to protect it against immersion.This sort of overshoes, usually made of rubber like other common rubbershoes, are thereforecalled half 10 rubbers or toe-rubbers and will bedesignated by this name throughout the following specification. Althoughthis special kind of rubber shoes is in itself well known, and appearsin different qualities and fashions, the kind presently in use, has

16 to my knowledge two main drawbacks, first that at the point where thesole of the toe-rubber joins the instep of the shoe, there is usuallyinsufllcient protection against the seeping in of moisture and secondly,as these toe-rubbers are usually held in 20 place, sandal-fashion, byribbons which either stretch backwardly over the heel portion, thesocalled quarter piece of the shoe, or are tied over the ridge of thefoot, and such ribbons are provided with buttons or clasps or kindred.fastening 25 means, thatthese fastening means first become loose if theydo not fit too loosely from the start alreadyand. ultimately get lostaltogether,

mostly at a very inopportune occasion.

I The first mentioned kind of ribbons which fit 30 around the heelportion, have a tendency to slip upwardly and incommode the tendon ofthe ankle, just above the rim of the shoe, and both kinds mentioned, ifthey do not fit closely and resiliently, leave a loose gap where the toerubber ends be- 35 low the shoe sole which gives access to moistureseeping in.

The. first object of my invention therefore, is to provide a toe-rubberwhich gives the best possible protection against the entrance ofmoisture at the edge where it fits the shoe-leather and especially theinstep of the sole. I Another object is to provide fastening means whichdo not require any separate auxiliaries, like buttons, buckles orclasps. I

A further object is to provide fastening means which tie the toe-rubberresiliently and automatically to the shoe and can be removed withoutunfastening any closing mechanism. A further eb- 50 feet, subservient tothe last one, is to provide fastening means, forming toe-rubber.

A further object isto provide a buttonless and claspless toe-rubber,self-contained and consisting of one integral piece. 'Aiinalobiect, allthe aforesaidseppart can be cut out,

an integral part of the' arate objects is to provide a buttonless toerubber, forming a single mold, without any attachments, but adapted toform an automatic water-tight, and secure fit upon a ladys shoe.

These various objects are attained by the novel construction,combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the toe-rubber herein described and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing. The inventive idea involved is capable of avariety of'modifications and fashions without departing from theprinciple of the inventive concept, and the one shown herewith ought tobe-considered as illustrative rather than as restrictive.

- Fig. l is a side elevation, showing a toe-rubber made according to myinvention, applied to a lady's shoe.

Fig. 2 is a top from the shoe.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3-3,

- in Fig. 1 through the rubber, the showing of the view of thetoe-rubber, apart shoe and foot being omitted.

Considering the drawing more in detail, Ill designates the sole-part ofthe toe-rubber, made, as is customary, with a rather solid corrugatedunder surface and may, if desired, contain any reinforcing of fabricetc., or be made up of rubber layers of special quality in the moldingprocess. This sole part is shown in Fig. l and in section in Fig. 3.

Above the sole is provided the body part II of the rubber shoe, moldedas an integral piece with the sole and so as to provide a tight fit tothe size and fashion of shoe it is intended for. An important part isthe instep apron or lip l2, forming an upwardly inclined socket in whichthe descending part of the instep sole rests with a tight fit. As willbe observed from the drawing the apron comprises a shank portionextending upwardiy and rearwardly from the sole and the ad- 40 joiningrear portions of the sides. While the shank portion should extendsufilcient-ly high to exclude the entrance 'of moisture, it will fitmore tightly against the shoe if it be abbreviated in length so as tocover only the lower forward part of the shoe shank. The arch of theupper body as shown by H in Fig. 2. and the upper rim of this cut out aswell as the rear edgeof the instep lip I2 is provided with beadedborders ll and I4 respectively. It indicates the parting seam where themold portions meet and are Jointed during the molding operation.

Forming an integral and inseparable the toe-rubber body, a rathersubstantial part of bandof elastic rubber in the form of a strap ll,spans the cut out aperture of the rubber shoe and is positioned in sucha way that, when stretched,

it passes with suitable tension over the ridge of the foot as shown inFig. l and engages the lowband or ribbon is also preferably reinforcedby twobeaded borders l6 and Il similar to the borders ii and it. It isto be observed that this tie band, having no looking or opening means,depends entirely on its elasticity to be placed and to remain inposition, and also on account of its origin of attachment, beingoppositeto the apron l2 tends to draw the latter into close contact with theinstep of the shoe sole.

Since the overshoe is entirely open in the heel area and entirely devoidof rearwardly acting tensioning-bands, the position of the elastic strapII is fixed in accordance with the contour of the foot so that the samemay properly retain the apron l2, and particularly the shank portionthereof. in tight fitting engagement with the shoe.

The strap should extend along a forwardly and upwardly inclinedline soas to engage the forward part of the instep arch and meet the sides justrearwardly of the meeting of the shank with the sole. By sucharrangement. the tension exerted by the strap will be in a directionsubstan-.

tially perpendicular to the shank. There will be no tendency for thestrap to work down the instep arch and the tension exerted thereby willact on the shank so as to efiectively retain the same in its properposition and hold the overshoe as an entirety against slipping off theshoe without the necessity of heel bands. The strap. correspondingportions of the sides and the shank together constitute acircumferentially continuous portion which encompasses the lower part ofthe instep arch and the shoe in the area of narrower gross-sectionimmediately behind the ball of the cot.

Another advantage of this one-piece toe-rubber is that when the ribbonor band comes into direct contact with, the thin (silk) stocking, asincidentally in Fig. 1, it exerts no irritating pressure upon the skinor causes damage to the fabric, as a butt joint or clasp might easilyproduce.

To attach the toe-rubbers the tip of-the shoe is simply inserted into itstretched and slipped over the lower instep ridge of the foot. They canbe removed by simply stripping them 05. This convenience in manipulatingthem is not to be overlooked, as in fact a person, who for instancecarries a pair of these toe rubbers in her handbag would in anemergency, even if she onlyhad one hand free to use,

be able with one hand to attach these slip-over shoes to her feet, asthere are no buttons or clasps to handle.

Toe-rubbers or half over-shoes, as hereinbefore stated, are known whichhave bands extending rearwardlyof the toe-rubber and over the heel ofthe shoe, and alsoforwardly over the instep. Such a rearwardly extendinghand, however, either slips upwardly and irritates, if not actuallyharms, the foot of the wearenas previously noted, or else, whenelongated by use, sags case seri-' downwardly over the heel,-in either1o,sos

.ous, highly elastic unitary and the ribbon strap is,

ously impairing the usefulness of the toe-rubber. Furthermore such aband draws the rear edge of the shank part of the rubber away from theshank of the shoe and thus permits free access of water between therubber and shoe. Where 5 a single instep band is provided in the art,such band is either formed in two sections with means for fastening thesections together, or the band is integrally connected to one side ofthe toe-rubber and attached by some fastening device to the 10 oppositeside of the rubber upper. These fastening devices in many instances havemembers depending from the under side of the instep band which prevent aclose fit between the insteplband or side of the rubber and the shoe. Inany event, 15 the close contact between the shanks of the rubber and theshoe necessary to prevent entrance of water between the rear edge of therubber and the shoe cannot be secured, and this condition also obtainsin the other constructions of the art 20 hereinbefore described.

In accordance with my invention, however, and as shown in the drawing,the instep band i6, which extends between the opposite rear side partsof the toe-rubber, is elastic and is made of as suitable length andformed in onepiece which is merged at its opposite ends in therespective adjacent rear side parts of the upper. It may be noted herethat the elastic instep band It may be made of such length that it willafford a tight so fit when in its proper position, even if somewhatelongated by wear. Moreover, in its preferred form, the toe-rubber iscomposed of a homogeneor one-piece molded rubber body, are jointed beingindicated by the seam II; the entire half over-shoe presents a smoothinterior surface, and the elastic instep hand ll is'molded as a part'ofthe upper of the rubber. its opposite ends being vulcanized to therespective adjacent 40 rear ends of the opposite sides of said upper.

It will be apparent that with such a construction the necessity forproviding any manner of extraneous fastening means, as buttons, clasps,and the-like, is entirely obviated and, as heretofore stated. and ofgreat importance, the toerubber or half over-shoe can be easily andquickly slipped'into place over' the shoe by merely stretching it.Furthermore, when the one-piece elastic band It is in place, it willdraw the shank part i2 and the adjacent aide parts of the upper of thehalf over-shoe into close fitting and watertight engmment not only withthe shank of the merges into the side parts of the upper of the sorubber, a perfectly smooth connection results, noridges being formed,but on the contrary the same thickness of material existing at thejuncture as there is in the band itself or in the body of the halfover-shoe. The edge of the rubber so thus makes a smooth, unbrokencontact with the shoe throughout its entire extent.

It willbe noted that a half over-shoe constructed as herein described,being composed wholly of elastic rubber, may be made of a size to fitany size of shoe., If desired. however, the half over-shoes may be madein two sizes. one for shoes of small sizes and one for shoes of largersizes, thus avoiding undue stretching of a smallwhere the mold sectionsmeet and a6 The invention inits broader aspects is not limited to theprecise construction shown and described, as changes may be made in thedetails thereof without departing fromthe spirit of the example, whileover-shoes constructed in accord ance with the invention have beendescribed and obvious that such over-shoes may be used to equaladvantage on mens shoes. For mens shoes the embodiment of halfover-shoes shown in the rearwardly extending lip ll ful, owing to thelesser or flatter slope of the shank of a man's low heel shoe ascompared with a lady's high heel shoe.

Having described my invention according to the rules of patent practice,what I claim is:

1.- An elastic overhoe comprising a body portion consisting of a lowerpart for embracing the of connection between the elastic band and thebody portion in the form of a lip the rear edge of which is curved fromsaid point of connection to the shank part of the lip to bring said edgeinto close engagement with the sides of the shoe adjacent said rearedge, when said elasticband is drawn into tight-fitting relationshipwith said shoe.

2. An elastic over-shoe comprising. a body portion consisting of a lowerpart for embracing the lower portion of a shoe, an upper part connectedto said lower part for overlying the toe of the shoe, a sole partconnected to said first mentioned part, a shank part extending upwardlyfrom the rear of said sole part to cover the shank of the shoe and anelastic band connected to said body' portion for extending over theinstep of the foot, said shank part extending beyond the point ofconnection between the elastic band and the body portion in the form ofa lip, rear edge of which is curved in the form of an inverted 8 fromsaid point of connection to the shank part of the lip to bring said edgeinto close engagement with the sides of the shoe adiacent said rearedge, when said elastic band is drawn into tight-fitting relationshipwith said shoe.

3. An elastic over-shoe comprising a body portion for embracing the toeof a shoe, a shank part of a lip, the rear edge of which is curved fromsaid point of connection to the part of the lip to bring said edge intoclose engagement with- ,tionship with said shoe.

invention or sacrificing its chief advantages: For

illustrated as adapted for ladies shoes, it will be drawing isrecommended, it being found that the is particularly use- .of the toe, ashank the.

to cover the shank of theshoe and an elastic band the sides ofthe shoeadjacent said rear edge, when said elastic band is drawn intotight-fitting rela- 4. A sandal-type half over-shoe including a sole, anupper adapted to cover the sides and toe 5 of a shoe and open in theinstep arch area above the sides, an abbreviated shank adapted to coverthe lower part of the shoe shank extending rearwardly and upwardly fromthe sole and integral with the upper, and a single elastic retainingstrap spanning the instep space opposite the shank and being integral atits opposite ends with the rear portions of the opposite sides of theupper just rearwardly of the meeting of the shank with the sole, saidstrap constituting with the corresponding parts of the sides and theshank a circumferentially continuous portion adapted in its upper partto extend only over the forward instep arch area and in its lower partfitting the lower shank area and adjoining side parts of the shoe wellforward of the heel.

5. A sandal-type half over-shoe including a sole, an upper adapted tocover the sides and toe of a shoe and open above the sides in the insteparch area back of the toe, an abbreviated shank as integral with therear portions of the opposite sides of the upper and extendingrearwardly and upwardly from the sole to cover the lower forward part'ofthe shoe shank, and. a one-piece elastic instep strap extending betweenand at its oppo so site ends integral with the respective sides of theupper opposite the lower forward part of the over-shoe shank andarranged to extend upwardly and forwardly to cross the lower forwardpart of the instep arch.

6. A sandal-type half over-shoe including a sole, an upper adapted tocover the sides and toe of a shoe and open in the instep arch area backintegral with the rear portions of the opposite sides of the upper and'ex- 40 tending upwardly and rearwardly from the sole to cover the lowerpart of the shoe shank, said over-shoe being of shorter length than theshoe and being entirely open in, and free'of connection with, the heelarea of the shoe rearwardly of the over-shoe shank to avoid any pull onthe over-shoe shank in a rearward direction, and an elasticretainingstrap engageable well forwardly of the ankle with the lower part of theinstep arch spanning the space between the sides of the upper and beingintegral at its opposite ends with said sides well forwardly of the shoeheel area, said strap through the corresponding side portions of theupper exerting an eflective retaining tension on the over-shoe shankjust rearwardly of the 65 meeting of said shank with the sole in adirection upwardly and forwardly towards the lower part of the. insteparch, and said strapwith said side portions and shank constituting acircumferentially continuous portion contractible about the shoe andlower instep arch in the area of narrower crosssection immediatelybehind the ball 0! the foot.

HENRY MALM.

